Not Without Laughter, The Ways of White Folks, The Weary Blues

Langston Hughes (Author) Langston Hughes (1901-1967) was a central figure of the Harlem Renaissance and one of the most influential and acclaimed American writers of the twentieth century. A renowned poet from a young age, Hughes' first collection of poetry, The Weary Blues, was published when he was just 24. He would go on to publish more than thirty-five books, including his award-winning debut novel, Not Without Laughter, and the short story collection, The Ways of White Folks. His widely-read journalism and nonfiction became important documents in the support and promotion of the civil rights movement.Dr. Joshua Bennett (Introducer) Dr. Joshua Bennett is the Distinguished Chair of the Humanities and Professor of Literature at MIT. He is the author of The Sobbing School, Being Property Once Myself, Owed, The Study of Human Life, and Spoken Word: A Cultural History.